State Prepared to Fight County Tax Lightning Correction

A law from 2001 put a 3% cap on the amount our property taxes could increase year over year. However, the law allowed the property tax to be reassessed upon sale of the property. The result has been an unconstitutional tax lightening effect. In other words, two neighbors in the same size house could find themselves paying hugely different annual tax bills.

After two judges have found this unequal taxation to be unconstitutional, Bernalillo County Assessor Karen Montoya has opted to do the right thing and put everything back in balance by 2010. But, it appears she is going to get a fight from State Secretary of Taxation Rick Homans:

Rick Homans, secretary of the state Taxation and Revenue Department, said Montoya's decision could have serious consequences.

"A massive rollback in property taxes, as suggested by the county assessor, raises several complex legal questions and has potentially serious fiscal implications that need to be studied more closely in the weeks ahead," he said.

Leave it to a state bureaucrat from the Richardson administration to twist the facts into a new reality. The truth of the matter is that it was the law that was passed in 2001 that raised the complex legal issues. Complex legal issues that impact tens of thousands of voters in Bernalillo County alone. Complex legal issues that have been determined by the courts to be unconstitutional, not once but twice.

Now, it is refreshing to see an elected official like Bernalillo County Assessor Karen Montoya decide to take a corrective course of action on behalf of taxpayers. Compare that action to the current administration's fallback position to delay justice for those unfairly penalized. The Richardson administration would rather push off taking any action, and instead create a new industry and over burden the court system by forcing tens of thousands of taxpayers unjustly impacted by tax lightning to sue for equitable treatment under the law.

Considering that many of those homeowners are probably struggling to keep a roof over their families heads in these times of increasing unemployment and home foreclosures, it is clear that this administration puts protecting their revenue streams ahead of the needs of working New Mexican families.

Here's a Thought - Go Electronic

It seems that Bernalillo County has a money problem:

Bernalillo County borrowed about $42 million last year to buy its dream home — the swanky 500 Marquette office building in Downtown Albuquerque.

The problem? It never bought the place.

That leaves the county government in an unusual situation this summer: making arrangements to pay off the debt for a building it didn't buy.

Now, what was the reason for needing that building? Oh, that's right:

County offices are spread across several buildings in the Downtown area, making it inconvenient for people who have business with several county departments that deal with the same topic. The county clerk, assessor and planning department, for example, all house property records — in separate buildings.

Well, if you really want to make it more convenient for the citizens, how about thinking of a way to eliminate my need to come down to the county offices. Let me give you an example. If you hold a Bernalillo County business license, wouldn't it be nice to just be able to register online, pay the fee with a credit card and print out the certificate?

That's just one example. I'm sure there are many more departments that could be digitized to eliminate the need for office space. Plus, think of the reduction of carbon footprint.

Feeling the Pinch

If you're feeling the pinch from the economic downturn, I've got some bad news for you. Chances are, you are about to be pinched a little harder by property taxes if you live in Bernalillo County:

About 11,000 homes will see a decrease in their values — and in their tax bills — to reflect declines in the housing market, assessor Karen Montoya said.

But people who haven't bought a new home in the past two or three years should expect a 3 percent increase in their home's value this year and every year for the foreseeable future, Montoya said.

Think about that for a second. Let's say you're one of those responsible people who has stayed put in the home you bought five, ten, or twenty or more years ago. You never felt the need to cash out on inflated property increases to buy "bigger and better." Instead, you've continued to live within your means.

Now, let's say you're feeling the economic pinch. Maybe you got laid off. Maybe you've long been retired and are living on a fixed income, but have seen upward of 30 or 40% of your life savings evaporate in the recent market collapse. So, you do what makes sense. You cut your expenses.

Except those who insist on spending more and more money each year - namely, the government - are now going to hit you with higher taxes. And, in their own words, they plan on doing so "this year and every year for the foreseeable future." You're not making more. In fact, you're making less. Yet, here they come to take a bigger and bigger share of that smaller and smaller pie.

Don't you see a problem with this?

Non-Resident Obama Campaign Workers to Vote in New Mexico

As we come into the final hours of the campaign, Palestra.net confirms at least one Obama campaign worker who is here temporarily has registered to vote in New Mexico and requested an absentee ballot. This particular worker has such deep ties to California, where he lives and works, that only two months ago, he served as a California delegate to the Democratic National Convention.

According to comments made in an interview County Clerk Maggie Toulouse Oliver admits that out of state non-residents can register and vote in this election. Ms. Toulouse Oliver goes on to say:

It's not so much that it's allowed, that it is not enforced. There's really no enforcement measurement in place to evaluate whether someone's submitting a registration based on a temporary address.

In the interview, Secretary of State Mary Herrerra confirms what we all know. Namely, that these visiting out of state campaign workers should not be voting in our elections. The Obama campaign refused to confirm how many out of state workers, they've brought into New Mexico.

It remains to be seen whether or not the mainstream media will pick up this story. If they do, they should ask the Obama campaign in New Mexico to release a list of all out of state temporary workers, so that can be compared to our voter rolls.

Bonds and Levies on the Ballot

If you haven't voted already, I strongly recommend printing up your sample ballot before heading over to the polls. If you live in Bernalillo County, you can download your sample ballot here. The federal office races may get the lion share of attention, but you'll find they only make up a small portion of the ballot real estate.

In fact on my ballot there is no less than a whole page of 12 bond and levy proposals to consider - plus five constitutional amendments. With the market continuing on its downward spiral, and the news of a worsening economy leading off every news hour, you have to wonder who in their right mind would vote to increase property taxes (mill levies) or authorize more government borrowing (bonds).

The problem with the latter is that in a recession, government revenues will drop (think $10 million budget shortfall for Bernalillo County), and when there isn't enough money coming in, you can bet your last dollar that it won't be long before your friendly local government entity will come after you and I with tax increases to make up the revenue shortfall.

Because I Still Care

Last night, I spent over an hour watching a YouTube video. Now mind you, I'm part of the MTV generation, so spending more than three minutes watching a video is normally a challenge for me, but this time it wasn't, and if you can find the time (regardless of your political persuasion), I would strongly urge you to set aside an hour to watch Randy Pausch's Last Lecture - Achieving Your Childhood Dreams:



I've always chased my dreams (and have caught quite a few of them), so his lecture resonated with me. It spoke to how I've always tried and continue to try to live my life. But more importantly, a lot of what he had to say seemed relevant to the political challenges we are facing today - on a national, state and lately, on the county level. To that last point, consider this excerpt about his youth football experience from approximately ten minutes into the lecture:

When it was all over one of the other assistant coaches came over and said, "Yeah, Coach Graham rode you pretty hard didn't he?"

And I said, "Yeah."

He said, "That's a good thing. When you're screwing up and no one is saying anything to you anymore that means they gave up."

"That's a lesson that stuck with me the whole life. When you see yourself doing something badly and no one is telling you anymore, that's a very bad place to be. Your critics are your ones that tell you they still love you and care."

With this in mind, I have a message to the dozen plus Executive Committee members of the Bernalillo County Republican Party that met yesterday and voted unanimously to give Chairman Fernando C'deBaca a vote of full faith and confidence...

"You screwed up."

And, you did it because you're not looking at the bigger picture. Mr. C'deBaca said something racist and offensive to the majority of New Mexicans, and it reflects poorly on the Republican Party. There are plenty of reasons not to vote for Barack Obama for President, but the color of his skin in not one of those reasons. Mr. C'deBaca knows it and has apologized. Unfortunately, for us, actions speak louder than words. If he was truly apologetic, he would have stepped down instead of putting on this sideshow.

This nonsense that we have an election to win and that is the reason for remaining Chairman is just that - nonsense. You don't need a title to volunteer your time. The same people, all of those in the room yesterday, could work just as hard to win the election whether Mr. C'deBaca had the title of Chairman or not.

And, as long as I'm criticizing my own party, I may as well go all out here...

With this bailout we're proposing, we're screwing up nationally as well. Again, we're failing to look at the big picture. The 2008 election is important, but winning the election by selling out our values is just too high of a price to pay. There are at least 10 reasons we shouldn't be doing this bailout, not the least of which is:

Fundamentally alters the nation’s free-market system in that it broadly socializes firm’s money-losing mortgage assets and places the U.S. on a slippery slope whereby profits will also be nationalized. Even if one accepts the idea that such a proposal could work, valid questions about whether such a cost is an acceptable trade-off for the market turmoil we are hoping to avoid must be raised.

We're screwing up, and if I just went along to get along, I'd be making the same mistake the Bernalillo County executive committee made yesterday. But, you know what? I care too much to just remain silent.

What's Wrong with District Attorney Kari Brandenburg?

It looks like Eye on Albuquerque has done a heck of job answering the question: What's wrong with re-electing Kari Brandenburg as District Attorney?

Pay Close Attention

We're paying more at the pump. The economy has cooled and everyday citizens are forced to cutback on their spending. Luckily, the government has the answer (subscription) on how to make our life a little easier:

Plans for a sales tax to support the Rail Runner commuter train and a regional bus system are gaining steam.

Bernalillo and Sandoval counties are to consider this week publishing a legal notice needed to put the one-eighth-cent tax on the Nov. 4 ballot. Valencia County might do the same, though perhaps not until next month.

"I think the Rail Runner's time has come," said Alan Armijo, chairman of the Bernalillo County Commission. Voters "at least need the opportunity to decide that."

The tax proposal must clear one more step before going to the counties — passage by the regional transit board Wednesday. That board, however, cannot put the tax on the ballot itself.

If approved, it will ask the counties to do that. Sandoval County has a meeting scheduled Thursday, and Bernalillo County has one Friday.

"Mass transportation is where we've got to start looking to with the cost of gas and lack of river crossings," Sandoval County Commissioner Don Leonard said.

Yup, this is really going to help. We're lucky to have such progressive thinking group of leaders in county government. A quick review of the U.S. Census shows that the population of Bernalillo County is 615,099, and the population of Sandoval County is 113,772 for a two county total of 728,871 people. Now consider the record number of people that have taken a ride on on the Rail Runner at its peak:

The New Mexico Rail Runner Express gave 5,980 rides last weekend during the first Saturday of Summer service. That ranks as the second highest daily ridership figure since the Rail Runner began service in July 2006. The only other day that had more passengers was on Friday, August 4, 2006 when 6,148 passengers rode the train – three weeks after service began.

A little basic math, and we learn that at its peak .08% of the population in the two county area is benefiting from the "cost-savings" of the Rail Runner service. So, of course, it only makes sense that 99.2% of the population should pay a little more in sales tax to provide the additional $26 million in revenue.

I owe an apology to Mayor Martin Chavez and others who want to put a light rail line on Central. After reviewing the Rail Runner math, their plan makes perfect sense.

The Reminders Just Keep Coming

It's like District Attorney Kari Brandenburg is purposely flaunting all of the reminders of why she should not be re-elected to another term in office (subscription):

The prosecution and defense squared off in Bernalillo County Metropolitan Court on Tuesday in the case of a University of New Mexico student who ripped down a Mexican flag in September.

Student Peter Lynch has said he did so because it was flying at the administration building unaccompanied by the U.S. flag, a breach of flag protocol.

The incident sparked a firestorm last fall, with supporters of the student asserting that his actions were proper given the violation of flag etiquette. Others accused him of being racist.

Among those in the gallery were camera crews from four television news stations.

Lynch is charged with a count of criminal damage to property. If convicted, he could be sentenced to up to six months in jail and a fine of up to $500.

If you need a reminder of what the real issue is here, go back and look at this original post about the U.S. flag code. This is the second time it has come to light that D.A. Brandenburg is prosecuting veterans to the fullest extent of the law for protecting their rights and standing up for the laws of the land. Is she on a vendetta against our veterans?

Of course, when it comes to her judicial cronies, D.A. Brandenburg is only too happy to look the other way. There is something seriously wrong here. A change has to be made.

Judicial System is in Shambles

Bernalillo County District Attorney Kari Brandenburg continues to make decisions that just leave you scratching your head and wondering, "What can she possibly be thinking?" First, her office prosecutes a war hero to discourage other law abiding citizens from protecting their families and property from drug crazed career criminals. Now, Kari Brandenburg decides to look the other way while criminal judicial misconduct undermines the very structure of our legal system:

Metropolitan Court Judge J. Wayne Griego was accused of fixing tickets for years, and now he admits he did it.

His attorney filed paperwork today agreeing his client committed willful misconduct in office.

Griego basically said here he agrees with the Judicial Standards Commission which had investigated his conduct and recommended the New Mexico Supreme Court punish him.

Now Griego is asking the Supreme Court to follow the commission recommendations and just suspend him for interfering in the judicial process. The justices could, if they choose, remove him from the bench entirely.

Griego fixed for his family, friends and even his Realtor. They cover everything from speeding to parking, from resisting an officer to bench warrants.

We're not talking about a one-time bad decision, which would be reason enough to remove him from the bench. We're talking about a judge who admits he has been "fixing tickets for years."

The citizens are outraged.

Protesters rallied outside Metropolitan Court in downtown Albuquerque today demanding a criminal investigation in the case of the ticket-fixing judge.

But, our county's chief prosecutor, Kari Brandenburg, just doesn't seem too concerned:

Bernalillo County District Attorney Kari Brandenburg said at this point she is not pursuing the Griego case.

Ms. Brandenburg, at what point would you be interested in pursuing this case? There is something seriously wrong with a District Attorney that prosecutes heroes yet turns a blind eye when it comes criminal justices. This is just another reason to consider an alternative to District Attorney Brandenburg come November.

The Vote-Buying Scandal that Never Was

I've never been much on writing about rumors and innuendo. This blog is a political opinion blog. After something hits the news or a piece of legislation is published, I put in my two cents. There have been a few comments left asking why I haven't posted on the vote-buying scandal that was circulating. The simple reason is: there was no scandal.

Heath Haussamen put a great post up about the investigative reporting he did which found little credence to the claims, and Eye on Albuquerque has a great follow up to that post. All I have to add is this...

I've attended numerous county conventions in the first and second congressional district this cycle including my own in Bernalillo County. There was record turnout at every county convention. This had nothing to do with anyone being paid, and everything to do with the fact that there are eight solid Republican candidates running and a lot of interest from the Republican base in ensuring that the right man or woman is our nominee to take on the Democrats in November. [Note: I'm not addressing the CD3 only because I hadn't attended any of their conventions, but I'm sure the same is true up there.]

In my ward in Bernalillo County, there were 38 active Republicans who showed up to vote at the county convention. The most I had ever seen before was 12, but the norm was usually closer to five. I knew almost everyone who showed up at the ward meeting. They are all active Republicans in one way or another.

The Bigger Threat to Society

Now you tell me who is the bigger threat to society? The decorated marine that the District Attorney's office had thrown in jail for protecting his family and his property or the six-times-convicted drunken driver (subscription) STILL swerving around on our streets :

Ignition interlocks are supposed to keep convicted drunken drivers off the road if they drink any alcohol.

That didn't happen Saturday night, when a six-times-convicted drunken driver got behind the wheel of his interlock-equipped pickup, started it and hit the streets.

Dan R. Gallaher, 38, of Albuquerque was driving with a blood-alcohol level more than twice the presumed level of intoxication when police pulled him over on Montgomery NE, according to a criminal complaint filed at Bernalillo County Metropolitan Court.

Gallaher has six prior DWI convictions, according to the New Mexico DWI Resource Center. He had an ignition interlock and an interlock license, the criminal complaint says.

Of course, the District Attorney's office is more interested in sending "messages" to law abiding citizens than to protecting us from criminal predators:

Noting the victim's two prior burglary convictions and making reference to recent car theft statistics, [Assistant District Attorney Theresa Whatley] said the court should send a message to people about being overly zealous in protecting their property.

Well, I think the District Attorney ought to take a close look at what people are saying about this message. The District Attorney has gotten a free ride for too long:

"I feel like I'm in Heaven," exclaimed a giddy Bernalillo County District Attorney Kari Brandenburg from her downtown ABQ office . She was giving me her reaction to the news that she will have no Dem primary opponent and no General Election foe either. A free four year ride is a rarity in the high-profile DA's job, and Kari was relishing the moment.

This is an elected position and the escalating crime rate combined with the persecution of heroes is a wonderful reminder of why it is an elected position.

Based on a press release I received late yesterday afternoon, it looks like we are going to be able to do something about the ongoing failures of this office:

Lisa Torraco today announced her candidacy for the office of Bernalillo County District Attorney.

"I can not in good conscience stand by and watch as our legal system continues to fail those it is designed to protect and prosecute those whose greatest crime is protecting their families and property from criminal predators," Torraco stated during a press conference on the steps of the District Court.

At a recent Crime Convention Conference sponsored by the Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce, it was noted that everyday 17 houses are broken into and every 95 minutes a car is stolen.

"Crime is an ever increasing problem in our city," added Torraco. "Yet, the District Attorney's office is focusing their efforts on sending message to law abiding citizens that it is not okay to protect their families by throwing a decorated Marine behind bars for protecting his family from being burglarized by a twice convicted felon.

"The DA zealously pursues cases against law abiding citizens and dismisses others against repeat offendors – there seems to be no rhyme or reason." Torraco adds "The police are doing their jobs, we deserve a District Attorney that does hers.

"I am stepping up to the plate to do the job that needs to be done. I live here, I'm raising my children here, and I will fight to throw criminals, not heroes behind bars."

Lisa Torraco is a 1991 graduate of University of New Mexico School of Law. Upon graduation Torraco worked as an assistant district attorney for the Second Judicial District. In 1993, she worked for the Santa Fe District Attorney's office where she was appointed to lead the Child Abuse Division for Santa Fe, Rio Arriba and Los Alamos Counties. A career prosecutor, Lisa Torraco has prosecuted all levels of felony and misdemeanor cases and was awarded "New Prosecutor of the Year" in 1993.

Disclosure: I have signed Lisa Torraco's petition to get on the ballot and had the pleasure and honor of joining her on the Jim Villanucci show yesterday afternoon during the 3:00 hour.

Guess I Won't Be Moving

Actually, we weren't planning on moving. But, it looks like those who moved in 2006 have gotten a nasty surprise (subscription):

[County Assessor Karen L.] Montoya said her office also has been hounded by people who bought homes in 2006— roughly 20,000 were sold— and were not aware that home sales take away the 3 percent cap.

She said people have been telling her they wouldn't have bought their homes if they had known what the property taxes were.

"Sometimes they're shocked," she said.

Those homes sold in 2006 are seeing, on average, a 50 percent increase in assessed value, Montoya said.

The result is that someone who has just bought a home might be paying hundreds or thousands more than a neighbor who has lived in the same home for years.

So, how are the people who have stayed in one place making out? Well, I just pulled out my Bernalillo County property tax bill from 2002 and compared it to my 2007 bill. Talk about sticker shock. I am paying 35% more in property tax than I was paying just five short years ago.

Hmm, I don't seem to be receiving 35% more in services, so exactly how does that work?

A Bad Precedent

A follow up to my last post as reported in today's Albuquerque Journal (subscription):

Voters were supposed to decide last November whether to renew the open-space tax, which amounts to about $8 a year on a $100,000 home. The tax had been approved at the polls in 1998 and 2000 but expires this year.

County administrators, however, forgot to put renewal of the tax on the Nov. 7 ballot last year.

The commission's vote Tuesday imposes the tax at a reduced rate. It will now amount to $3 a year on a home valued at $100,000 and will generate about $1.1 million a year. The existing tax has been generating around $2.5 million a year.

It will remain in place until it can be put before voters in November 2008, county officials said.

Voting in favor of the budget package, which included the tax, were commissioners Alan Armijo, Tim Cummins, Teresa Córdova and Deanna Archuleta.

Michael Brasher voted against it. He said he had questions about whether the county had solicited public comment in developing the budget.

Brasher also said he had concerns about whether the tax is needed immediately, as the county's open-space fund already has a balance of about $9 million available.

Is Michael Brasher the only sane voice on the Commission? I believe the answer is a resounding, "YES."

Just a Little Too Convenient

It wasn't that long ago that the City of Albuquerque tried to sneak a tax past unsuspecting Albuquerqueans. Unfortunately for the city, an uproar ensued, and the sleight of hand met a much warranted timely demise.

Apparently, some members of the Bernalillo County Commission learned nothing (subscription) from the Albuquerque experience:

Bernalillo County commissioners this week will consider imposing an open-space tax to help make up for a proposal left off the ballot last year.

Voters in November were supposed to decide whether to continue a tax to fund the acquisition and maintenance of open-space lands, but the question wasn't included on the ballot— the result of an "administrative error," a spokeswoman said.

The property tax generates about $2 million a year and amounts to around $8 a year on a $100,000 home. Voters approved the tax in 1998 and 2000, but it's set to expire this summer.

The county is now considering whether to enact an open-space tax without voter approval.

The proposal would impose a tax smaller than what has been in place. It would amount to around $3 a year for a $100,000 home and generate $1 million annually.

If county commissioners take no action— or reject the latest proposal— revenue from the existing tax will dry up this summer.

County Commission Chairman Alan Armijo said he plans to support the tax measure.

On second thought, this is worse than the sleight of hand that the city tried to pull. Commissioner Alan Armijo actually wants us to reward incompetence with a tax increase. But, that's not the most offensive part. This is:

The tax proposal isn't as big as what's been in place because the county wants to start small for now and "look at a bigger package in the future," Armijo said.

I believe in the used car business this is known as the bait and switch.

Enough is Enough - The Whole Truth

Tonight something happened that has angered and saddened me...

I got a call from the State Republican Party informing me that Bernalillo County Republican Party Chairman, Fernando C' de Baca, had put me on a list as a State Central Committee Member from Bernalillo County not in good standing. Below is the text of the letter:

April 26, 2007

Lou Melvin
RPNM Rules Committee Chairwoman
5150-A San Francisco NE
Albuquerque, NM 87109

Dear Lou -

In accordance with Rule 10 of the Bernalillo County Republican Party Supplementary Rules, the following State Central Committee Members from Bernalillo County are not in good standing.

Please consider this a formal challenge of the following State Central Committee members:

Christopher Atencio
Mario Burgos
John Butrick
Samuel Carnes
Whitney Cheshire
Diego Espinoza
State Representative Justin Fox-Young
Elaine Henederson
Wade Jackson
Enrique Knell
Fran Langholf
Vickie Perea
Patrick Rogers
Patricia Rush
Dianne Shams-Avari
Matthew Stackpole

Each of these State Central Committee members from Bernalillo County were assessed dues on March 30, 2007 via a dues statement sent them through the mail.

Sincerely,

Fernando C. De Baca, Chairman

Cc: RPNM Rules Committee, RPNM Secretary Nina Martinez

Ok, let's start with the obvious. This is pure and utter rubbish. Rule (10) cited in the letter above reads as follows:

10. DUES

A. The Republican Party of Bernalillo County Central Committee shall assess annual dues to be paid by the members.
B. With consent of the chairman, members may substitute volunteer service to the Republican Party of Bernalillo County in lieu of dues.
C. The Republican Party of Bernalillo County shall review member status quarterly.
D. County Central Committee members whose dues are in arrears shall not vote at Central Committee meetings and are subject to removal from the committee by the Republican Party of Bernalillo County Executive Committee as authorized bi-annually by the County Central Committee.

How is it possible that the Republican Party of Bernalillo County could have mailed the first dues statement on March 30, 2007, and have already held a member status quarterly review? The simple answer: they couldn't. But apparently, Mr. C' de Baca feels he has the right to rewrite the rules as he sees fit. Heck, this latest letter is even in direct contradiction to what he had printed on the bottom of the quarterly dues statement less than 30 days ago:

In accordance with Rules of the Bernalillo County Republican Party, each County Central Committee member must pay dues of $10 per month. If you become (3) months delinquent, your name may be removed from the Bernalillo County Central Committee Roster.

Folks, not even one month has passed, let alone three. In fact, at the Bernalillo County Central Committee on March 18th, everyone paid their first month's dues of $10 - it was the only way they would let you vote.

And, by the way, I know what it says on the statement because I had already written a check for a $120 to be sent to Bernalillo County Republican Party. Why a $120? Well, because I don't believe that people who can't afford it should be charged a tax by the Republican Party to participate in party politics. So, I offered to pay the quarterly dues of some folks, including a young mother from our Ward whose husband, a former state police officer, is volunteering in Iraq to provide armed protection for Americans.

So, what could motivate Chairman C' de Baca to act in such a devious manner? Is he one of those county leaders Mr. Greer mentioned to the press as encouraging him to run? Is this a way to weed out people who might not support Mr. Greer's campaign? Is this their idea of taking the party back to the grassroots level? Do we really want people leading our party who believe that disenfranchising voters is the way to win elections?

When I ran last month for Bernalillo County Republican Party Chairman, Mr. C' de Baca pulled these same shennigans. He happily padded County Party coffers with the money of absentee self-nominees, but then refused to allow those people to be elected to at-large positions. He even went so far as to change the convention rules less than 36 hours before the convention.

After the election, I chose not to dwell on these actions for the sake of the Party. But now, for the sake of the Party, I refuse to continue to remain silent.

During that election, I heard from a few people who took issue with a card I had mailed and handed out at the county convention that pointed out:

1. fundraising failures under Mr. C' de Baca's tenure
   
2. the failure to deliver Bernalilo County for Congresswoman Heather Wilson for the first time... EVER!
   
3. his decision to publicly endorse Democratic candidates
   

Among those who took issue with what I had to say was State Senator Joe Carraro. Senator Carraro took to the stage waving the card and saying that we must no longer tolerate this type of negative campaigning. I'm not sure when examining someone's job performance record became negative campaigning, but if we want to get more Republicans elected in New Mexico, we're going to have to do it a little more often.

I made a decision in that race to focus on Mr. C' de Baca's performance failures, but I also made a decision not to attack him personally. I chose not to point out Mr. C' de Baca's criminal conviction from 1996:

Here’s what the Albuquerque Tribune (7/24/96) reported about C de Baca’s 1996 bid-rigging conviction in California:

Fernando C de Baca, 58, of Albuquerque pleaded guilty Tuesday in San Diego County District Court to conspiring to inflate bids for asbestos removal at two malls owned by the Hahn Co. of San Diego. One of them was Coronado Center in Albuquerque.

C de Baca and his co-defendant, Thomas Sytko . . . agreed to pay a $600,000 fine. C de Baca’s share was $150,000 . . .

Robert Fellmeth, a former prosecutor and the founder of the Center for Public Interest Law at the University of San Diego School of Law, called the fines the largest he can recall for criminal antitrust violations in California.

C de Baca won the contracts in return for kickbacks to Sytko. The scheme netted the two men about $310,000.

C de Baca barely avoided a three-year prison sentence. In addition to the California fine, C de Baca also paid a $25,000 fine in a settlement with New Mexico prosecutors.

When he ran for the State Senate last year, this is how C de Baca characterized the bid-rigging/kickback episode when the Albuquerque Tribune inquired about his criminal record:

In 1996 I was convicted of an anti-trust violation in California and paid a fine. My case was reviewed by the Superior Court of California in early 2004. The charge was dismissed and expunged.

I opted not to draw attention to Mr. C' de Baca's questionable financial reporting practices and the risks they posed for the Bernalillo County Republican Party. For example, on his December 7, 2006 report with the Secretary of State, Mr. C' de Baca showed $19,784 in in-kind contributions, but only $3,709.28 in expenditures. And that poses a serious problem:

In-Kind Contributions, according to Paragraph 5, FEC Code from www.fec.gov.

A committee reports the value of an in-kind contribution in the same way it reports a monetary contribution. In addition, as with all in-kind contributions, the committee must report the value of the in-kind contribution as an operating expenditure. Moreover, an in-kind contribution itemized on Schedule A must also be itemized on a Schedule B for operating expenditures. 104.13 and 110.1(e).

In other words, BCRP must show all in-kind contributions as both a "contribution" and an "expenditure" according to the FEC. This was not done. In fact, Fernando and Cecilia C' de Baca personally claimed a combined total of $44,714.00 in-kind contribution over an 11 month period, but NOWHERE can the matching expenditure be found. To make matter worse, according to the FEC, it is illegal to claim "in-kind contributions" from volunteers.

I also decided not to bring up the fact that the Executive Director, employed by the Bernalillo County Republican Party and hired by Mr. C' de Baca, spent Election Night partying with Patricia Madrid supporters at her "Victory" Party. Or, the fact that this same individual, proudly has posted pictures on his personal website of himself posing with pornography star Jenna Jameson while wearing a t-shirt advertising her website.


These are all issues I opted not to raise at that time because I didn't feel they were relevant to the election at hand. I was wrong. Mr. C' de Baca's past criminal conviction for bid-rigging clearly demonstrated he is willing to win at any cost - lawful or not. His latest attempt to disenfranchise Republican grassroot activists through fraudulent means shows he has not changed much in the last 10 years - simply moving from bid-rigging to election-rigging.

The fact that Mr. Greer has sought to align himself with such a man does not bode well for Mr. Greer. You can tell a lot about a person by the company they keep. Speaking of which, go back and take a look at that list at the beginning of this post. Included with me are:

1. A State Representative who just spent more than 60 days fighting for Republican values
2. Three underpaid staffers of the State Party who work tirelessly on our behalf.
3. The recently elected 2nd Vice-Chair of the Bernalillo County Republican Party - the only uncontested candidate at the recent county convention.
   
4. A staffer from Congresswoman Heather Wilson's office
5. Fran Langholf, a volunteer legend in Republican circles
   
6. Our Secretary of State candidate in this last election who worked tirelessly both in 2004 and 2006.
   
7. A Republican lawyer who volunteers his time over and over again to defend our rights

And, I could go on, but you get the idea. These are the Party faithful. The type of people we need to duplicate if we are ever to succeed in achieving a two-party state. These are the type of people some county chairman would like to see removed from the picture. You've got to ask yourself, "Why?"

He's Officially Lost It

It's official, Joe Monahan has lost it. Once upon a time, Mr. Monahan was the must read of New Mexico political blogs - of course, it didn't hurt that he was the only NM political blog. However, as the blogosphere has continued to grow at an unprecedented pace, so has the number of NM blogs covering politics.

There are blogs on the left, blogs on the right, blogs written by real reporters and blogs which really report. Blogs that editorialize and blogs that criticize.

However, there is only one blog that has failed time and time again in recent months to analyze politics in a meaningful and coherent manner - New Mexico Politics with Joe Monahan. Now, don't get me wrong, Mr. Monahan is still a good source for insider political gossip. But, internet gossip, like all gossip, must be taken with a grain of salt. And, therein lies the problem.

You see, Mr. Monahan takes this gossip as gospel truth. Then, as if that wasn't bad enough, he proceeds to dissect the gossip and arrive at political conclusions that he presents as in-depth analysis. Think about that. It's the equivalent of a NASA scientist reading the National Enquirer to determine the future of space travel.

But hey, don't take my word for it. Just take a look at this gem from yesterday morning:

What does the political future of southern NM GOP Congressman Steve Pearce have to do with Sunday's re-election of Bernalillo county GOP chairman Fernando C de Baca? Quite a bit say my Republican Alligators. They, and I, wondered why Senator Domenici and Congresswoman Wilson were so public in their opposition to the re-election of C de Baca when the county GOP central committee re-elected him.

Whoa, hold the presses. Did I miss something? Senator Domenici and Congresswoman Wilson "were so public in their opposition" to Chairman C'deBaca? Well, that's kind of a strange thing to say. I know Mr. C'deBaca's opponent from this last election pretty well. In fact, I know him so well, it's like we're the same person. Oh wait, we we are the same person.

So, without any alligators needed, I can tell you that neither the Senator or the Congresswoman came out in opposition to Fernando C'deBaca. It would have been great for me if they had opposed the Chairman, because let's face it, I'd now be Chairman. But, that's not the way it works, and more importantly, that's not the way it worked.

But get this, this is even more bizarre. Somehow, Mr. Monahan has turned this into a power struggle between Congresswoman Heather Wilson and Congressman Steve Pearce. Folks, there were only 210 votes cast (of the 219 present) in this past election for Bernalillo County Chairman. Only 210 votes cast even though there were 247 potential delegates to the Bernalillo County Central Committee (including ex-officio).

So, let me ask you, what do you think? Before you answer, I realize you may not feel qualified to provide in -depth political analysis. After all, you don't have Mr. Monahan's years of experience in the trenches of "La Politica" with the "alligators." But, I'm going to take a chance here and ask you anyway.

If this was a battle between our two Republican congressional representatives for control of Bernalillo County, don't you think every seat in the place would have been taken? Don't you think there would have been an overflow crowd with people fighting for every available open slot as opposed to most people who bothered showing up in a ward getting automatically elected to the county central committee? Isn't just a little strange that in this "epic battle" depicted by Mr. Monahan more than 10% of the seats remained empty.

C'mon folks look at the numbers. Pearce and Wilson have machines that between them turn out hundreds of thousands of votes every election cycle. If they were in some sort of competition, we would have seen the streets filled with volunteers vying for an opportunity to cast their vote in favor of their favorite candidate.

No, the truth is just not as entertaining as Mr. Monahan has portrayed. The truth is two candidates were involved in a campaign for county chairman. The candidate with a forty year history of political involvement in New Mexico, Chairman C'deBaca, was able to turn out more votes than the candidate with six and a half years of involvement, yours truly. So, Mr. C'deBaca won.

I know it's not titillating reading, but it's the truth, which brings us back full circle. Mr. Monahan has lost it. He's moved from the alligator swamp to the padded room. Either that, or he's got a reason to try and create a rift in the Republican Party where none exists. Go ahead, you decide.

Final Count: 92 to 118

Well, it looks like it's time for me to go back to making money. I lost my campaign to become the Chairman of the Bernalillo County Republican Party. The good news is that we got a lot of folks not usually involved in these things to show up for the convention. The bad news is that we didn't get enough. Although, if all of those in absentia self-nomination forms, proxies and dues we collected could have been used, the results may have been different. But, alas that was not the case.

I say "we" because I had a group of volunteers helping me out that really impressed me with their energy and commitment. These people are the Party's future - at 37, I was the old guy - and at some point we are going to have to change the rules of the game if we want them to continue playing. They'll turn out their vote, but they are not going to sit for three to four hours in a hot room just for the sake of going through the process. It's just not going to happen, but you can still get them to vote. I'm sure there is a lesson there... somewhere.

I do want to thank those volunteers and the 92 people who came out and supported me, as well as the other folks who gave up their Sunday to show their support to the candidates in general. I also want to publicly acknowledge the newly re-elected Chairman Fernando C'deBaca for being gracious in his win.

Tomorrow some folks will receive a mail piece that somehow didn't end up in mailboxes when it should have. There are three points made in the mail piece, and I stand by them:

1. Republican activists, especially those holding party positions, must not endorse Democrat candidates, even ones in "non-partisan" offices. I, like most New Mexicans, have Democratic friends, even a few who have run for elected office. However, I will not endorse them, nor support them financially. Because let's face it, those same officials will, at some point down the line, act in a partisan manner and go after our Republican officials in a very partisan way. It's just the nature of the beast.
   
   
2. Bernalillo County Republicans did not turn out the vote to win the First Congressional District for the first time in 2006. This must NEVER happen again. And, if we don't want a repeat in 2008, we need to start working on it... Yesterday.
   
   
3. We're not raising the money we need to run an effective organization. It's not enough to keep the lights on and a paid member on staff. We need to raise significantly more. There are very few places left in America that are not gerrymandered to benefit one party or the other. Bernalillo County is one of these truly competitive areas. So, Republicans no matter where they may be, can truly further the cause by supporting the Bernalillo County Republican Party. And that support should go to building a strong volunteer structure all the way down to the precinct level.

With that said, we've elected a Chairman, so let's get to work.

BCRP Convention Tomorrow

Don't forget, tomorrow is the Bernalillo County Republican Party Convention.

Albuquerque Fraternal Order of Police Lodge
Sunday March 18, 2007
2:00pm-5:00pm
5900 Jefferson St NE, Albuquerque, NM 87109

I encourage all Bernalillo County Republicans to show up and cast your vote. Unfortunately, it is not widely known, but this process is open to EVERY registered Republican in Bernalillo County. You do not already have to have be on the County Central Committee to attend and vote. We'll be electing a new County Central Committee.

If you can't make it, there is still time to turn in your self-nomination form and proxy, so that your vote can be counted.

Call me at 401-2010 if you need more information.

Dear Bernalillo County Republicans,

In case you didn't get my letter....

With the encouragement of my family and friends and many long-standing grassroots activists, I've decided to run for Chairman of the Bernalillo County Republican Party, and I need your support.

In 2008, New Mexico will once again be a battleground state, and if we learned anything from this past election cycle, it is that we need to do more. Bernalillo County is the most important political county in the state and must do a better job of delivering the vote for our Republican candidates.

During this past last election cycle, Congresswoman Heather Wilson had her closest race ever. And, for the first time since taking office, she lost Bernalillo County. This must never happen again.

According to the final audited count, Congresswoman Wilson lost Bernalillo County by 1,250 votes. That means that with just four more votes per precinct, she would have easily won the county.

What concerns me, and has in fact motivated me to run, is that despite the passage of four months, not a single significant step has been taken to build our party structure. Already, 120 days have passed since the last election, and we are no more prepared today to deliver those additional votes in every precinct than we were four months ago.

This is unacceptable.

Granted, every organization has problems, but the good ones don’t have the same problems year after year. Right now, without a change, we’re on track to have the same problems come 2008. I’m not willing to stand idly by and let that happen, and I don’t think you are either.
Together, we can make sure that 2008 is remembered as the year when the Republicans took back Bernalillo County. How do we do it? With three simple steps:

1. Communicate our message
2. Raise money
3. Recruit volunteers

This is not speculation on my part. I’ve done it before successfully. From 2000 to 2004, I was the President of Junior Achievement of New Mexico, a privately funded not-for-profit that teaches students to understand business and economics and value the free enterprise system.

When I took over the organization, it had $25,000 in assets and annual revenues of $200,000. In four short years, I was able to increase the net assets by a $100,000 while doubling annual revenues to over $400,000 per year. More importantly, I was able to double the number of students participating in the program by significantly increasing the number of volunteers involved.

I did the same for an El Paso chapter of the organization with even more amazing results. During a one-hour lunch, I raised $80,000 in a room with just fourteen people. Admittedly, they were the right fourteen people, but that was no accident, I invited them.

Communicate a message. Raise money. Recruit volunteers. That's the plan.

I've had a similar success in the private sector. After leaving Junior Achievement, I launched an advertising and public relations firm. In just three years, I've grown this firm to the 14th largest agency in the state with a couple of million dollars in annual billings.

I know how to set goals and achieve them, and I've set a goal to make the Bernalillo County Republican Party the strongest county party in the state. With your help, I will do it. That’s my commitment. Elect me to be your Bernalillo County Party Chairman, and together, we’ll deliver for our Republican candidates in 2008.

Sincerely,


Mario Burgos

P.S. Below is a list of activities I've been involved in during my last six and a half years in New Mexico. This is by no means a complete list; however, I think it provides a good indication of the level of my commitment to our community, our state and our future. You can also learn a lot more about me by visiting www.MarioBurgos.com.

Political Involvement:
* Heather Wilson for Congress, Finance Committee 2005 - Present
* Member of the NM Delegation to 2004 Republican National Convention
* Bernalillo County Small Business Coalition Chairman, Bush/Cheney 2004
* Appointed by the U.S. Treasury Secretary and the IRS Commissioner to be New Mexico's representative on the National Taxpayer Advocacy Panel 2002 - 2005
* 2004 Candidate for State Representative, House District 22
* Political Blogger 2004 - present
* Frequent Republican commentator on KNME’s The Line and Channel 4’s Eye on New Mexico

Community Involvement:
* AYSO Soccer Coach 2004 - Present
* Albuquerque Del Norte Rotary Club 2001 - Present
* United Way Young Leaders Society
* National Federation of Independent Businesses
* Association of Commerce and Industry
* Middle Rio Grande Business Education Collaborative 2002-2004
* New Mexico Business Roundtable for Educational Excellence
* 2004 NM Business Weekly 40 Under 40
* March of Dimes, Walk-a-thon Fundraising Committee 2005
* Popejoy Hall's Primavera Ball, Marketing Committee 2006 - Present

Central Committee Meeting, and Biennial Organizational County Convention

Albuquerque Fraternal Order of Police Lodge
Sunday March 18, 2007
2:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
5900 Jefferson St NE, Albuquerque, NM 87109

Dissatisfied with the Last Election?

It looks like the new Bernalillo County Clerk, Maggie Toulouse, is trying to get input to improve elections in our county. Admitting you have a problem, A BIG PROBLEM, is a great first step. I would strongly encourage anyone who was involved this last go around to attend at least one of these sessions.

You can read about my take on some of the last election cycle's biggest fiascos here, here and here. Oh, and let's not forget about the, oh so convenient, "There were no ballots to be issued" press conference. In case you forgot the details, you can take a trip down memory lane here. Oh, and you really ought to read this right here.

My Anonymous Friend

I've heard from quite a few of you who have found the comments of Anonymous, well, amusing to say the least. I've not responded to Anonymous because, among other reasons, I was curious to see where the comments would go without a response.

The first time this particular Anonymous commenter appeared (IP address: 70.58.227.231), it was with this comment:

We thought you had disappeared like the RPNM staffers! It's good to see that Allen Weh and Mickey Barnett are letting you out of your cage again!
01.23.07 - 9:25 am

Then true to form, Anonymous put up three more comments in the span of just a couple of hours - none of which were flattering. But hey, not everyone is going to love me, right?

Now, are you ready for the odd part? What did I do that spurned the wrath of this Anonymous poster on that cold day in January? Well, I wrote that Governor Bill Richardson's presidential announcement really didn't have much splash in the Northeast. Not the type of thing you would think would offend a Republican Party activist, but it sure did get Anonymous' britches all in a bunch.

I have to admit, at the time, I didn't give it much thought. What can I say? After receiving over 1,200 comments on this blog since it's inception, I've learned that you just don't put too much stock into the "anonymous" comments. After all, I've hurled "stones" of criticism with the best of them, but I've never done it hiding behind a veil of anonymity. I back my convictions with my own John Hancock and let the pieces fall where they may. It's the way I was brought up. You stand up for what you believe in, and take your punches, and then come back for more.

Anonymous did come back to give me more. With these two comments:

Mario- Glad to see you are addressing the pressing issues of the day. If only you could convince your drunken counterpart over at wednesdaymorningqb to do the same! I don't know if you read her blog very often, but I have seen you quote her here on occasion. That girl has gone bat sh*t ["i" removed] crazy!
02.08.07 - 10:20 am

Mario: You want Richardson to disclose his donors and various contractual obligations. In the spirit of fairness and openness, would you please disclose your list of clients? Thanks!
02.08.07 - 2:23 pm

What set Anonymous into personal attack mode once again? You got it. It was another post about Governor Bill Richardson. This time the post was about the Governor's questionable ethics in sending out a campaign fundraising letter during a prohibited time. Something that the Attorney General decided was not illegal; however, we all know, that what is legal and what is ethical are not always one in the same.

Ok, so now I have Anonymous pegged as a Richardson supporter. It makes sense that Anonymous is not going to be my biggest fan - most Richardson supporters aren't. I haven't exactly been active in the Governor's Booster Club. Instead, I spend most of my time with the Emperor Has No Clothes crowd.

But this is where it gets weird....

On February 16, 2007, I announce in a post that I'm running for Chairman of the Bernalillo County GOP and Anonymous goes completely bananas. We're talking mad as a hatter, nutty as a fruitcake, completely off the deep end bonkers. Personally, I can't think of a better endorsement of my candidacy than for someone, who has at least twice come to the defense of Bill Richardson, become completely unhinged at the thought of me leading the Bernalillo County GOP.

So, I've let Anonymous just continue jabbing. Every time Anonymous posts, another person shoots me an email, or calls me to let me know that I've got their vote. Anonymous has been so effective in rallying support for me that even Nelson Spear, who now lives in Texas, has called me up to offer words of encouragement and lend his support.

Anonymous, I can't thank you enough for all the help with my campaign. But, I can repay you by answering a few questions that just seem to be keeping you up at night. First, let me put to rest the question of whether or not I am, or have ever been, on "the payroll" of Mickey Barnett.

I'm not, and I've never been.

I have on this blog previously addressed my relationship with Mickey Barnett. The guy gave me $200 when I ran for office in 2004 - less than 1% of my total contributions. Very generous, and very much appreciated, but I don't see how anyone could consider that putting me on Mr. Barnett's payroll. I'm the sole financial provider for my family and $200 just doesn't make ends meet.

Nor does Mr. Barnett get the credit for the accomplishments or failures I've experienced in my life thus far. That responsibility lies squarely on my shoulders. I've heard a lot of speculation in my years of involvement with the Party of the power that Mr. Barnett yields, but let's face it, if he was a force to be reckoned with, he'd still be Republican National Committeeman.

As far as my client list is concerned, that is not something I will ever put on this blog. Why? Well, for a variety of reasons. But most importantly, my opinions do not necessarily reflect those of my clients, so they should not be brought into this aspect of my life. With that said, I've not had a problem answering a similar question on this blog before, albeit more politely asked, and you can read it here. I take pride in the fact that starting from nothing, I've worked with others to build one of the fastest growing advertising agencies in the state. I'm living the American Dream.

As to my ability to appeal to "life-long" New Mexicans, well, I'm married to one, so let me go ask....

Ok, I'm back. According to her, I'm still very appealing. Mind you, we're going on 12 years of being happily marriage, so this is no simple feat. Yeah, I'm pretty sure I can do just fine in the "life-long" New Mexican category.

The question about prejudices between Latinos and Mexican-American groups does shed some light on Anonymous. Now besides knowing that Anonymous feels the need to rise to the defense of Bill Richardson, we also know that Anonymous is not Hispanic. In 2004, we did not not have Mexican-Americans for Bush and Latinos for Bush. We had Viva Bush. Americans with Hispanic heritages and Republican ideals. Only those with deep rooted prejudices have a hard time understanding how people with different backgrounds can unite for a common good.

As to why I would make a good County Chairman, I'm afraid you're going to have read the letter coming in the mail, or tune in to the blog next week.

Just What Exactly Have I Been Doing?

In October of 2000, Roxanne, the kids and I moved to New Mexico. As is mentioned in the "About Me" section on the right hand side of this blog, we moved here to be near family. We were married in New Mexico in 1995, but continued living in California until a job opportunity opened here.

That job opportunity was to serve as the President of Junior Achievement of New Mexico (JANM), and what an opportunity it was! It was truly amazing to get paid to work with business and community leaders, as well as parents, volunteers and educators to teach students to value and understand business, economics and the free enterprise system, which is a cornerstone of our Democracy.

During my tenure, between November 1, 2000 and July 31, 2004, I worked with extraordinary people throughout the state to build the organization from reaching approximately 7,000 students a year to reaching over 14,000 students every year. The efforts of our ever-growing number of volunteers and sponsors garnered national attention. But more importantly, it achieved local goals.

It was my six years with JA (two in CA and four in NM) that taught me a lot about building and running a volunteer driven, privately funded, mission focused organization - much like the Bernalillo County GOP.

My time as a paid staff person with JA came to an end in July of 2004. At that point, I had come to the conclusion that I would rather be in a position to donate my time and money to various organizations and causes than to work as a paid employee. So, I launched a business venture three years ago, but to this day, I still continue to volunteer in New Mexico classrooms for JA, as well as donate money and time to this and other very worthwhile causes.

Below is a partial list of my political activities since arriving in New Mexico:

• Heather Wilson for Congress, Finance Committee 2005 - 2006
• Member of the NM Delegation to 2004 Republican National Convention
• Bernalillo County Small Business Coalition Chairman, Bush/Cheney 2004
• Appointed by the U.S. Treasury Secretary and the IRS Commissioner to be New Mexico's representative on the National Taxpayer Advocacy Panel 2002 - 2005
• Chairman of Small Business E-filing Committee
• Vice-chairman of the Region 6 Committee (representing the West)
• Member of the Executive Committee
• 2004 Candidate for State Representative, House District 22
• Political Blogger 2004 - present
  

And some other community commitments:

• AYSO Soccer Coach 2004 - Present
• Albuquerque Del Norte Rotary Club 2001 - Present
• United Way Young Leaders Society
• Association of Commerce and Industry
• Vice-chair of the Education Committee 2002-2004
• Member of the Taxation, Economic Development and Education Committees 2006-07
• Middle Rio Grande Business Education Collaborative 2002-2004
• New Mexico Business Roundtable for Educational Excellence
• 2004 NM Business Weekly 40 Under 40
• March of Dimes, Walk-a-thon Fundraising Committee 2005
• Popejoy Hall's Primavera Ball, Marketing Committee 2006 - Present

This is by no means a complete list of all the activities I've been involved in over the last six and a half years in New Mexico. However, I think it provides a good indication of the level of my commitment to our community, our state and our future.

It's Official - I'm Running

With the encouragement of my family and friends, colleagues and grassroot activists, I've decided to run for Chairman of the Bernalillo County GOP. Over and over again, I've heard from folks that a new generation of political activists must stand up and give their time and energy to continue moving our party forward and to build on the efforts of those who have already selflessly served.

Any volunteer driven organization that wants to grow needs a constant infusion of new people, fresh ideas and unbridled enthusiasm . It is my firm belief that it should never be in with the new and out with old. Instead, those who are already involved should be kept engaged, so that an organization and new leadership can take advantage of the invaluable knowledge that only experience can provide.

I'll write more over the weekend and the coming weeks about my motivation for running, my qualifications for leading, and my plans for moving the Bernalillo County GOP forward, but for now, here is the information to get on your calendar:

It was determined by the Bernalillo County Republican Party Executive Officers that the location, date, and time of the 2007 Bernalillo County Republican Party Ward/Precinct Caucuses, Central Committee Meeting, and Biennial Organizational County Convention will be:

Albuquerque Fraternal Order of Police Lodge
Sunday March 18, 2007
2:00pm-5:00pm
5900 Jefferson St NE Albuquerque, NM 87109

If you'd like to talk to me about helping out with my campaign, becoming active in your Ward or being added to the growing list of those endorsing me, please email me at ClearThinking@gmail.com or call me at 401-2010.

Third World Tactics

Ever wonder why most Latin American countries lag so far behind the United States when it comes to economic prosperity? Think inadequate protection of private property rights. See, it is hard to encourage growth in countries where a sudden change in the political landscape can result in the new government deciding to seize a private investment for the "public good."

Keeping that in mind, what sort of message do you think this sends (subscription) to those who would consider investing in New Mexico:

In 2004, [the newly formed public Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority] increased what it charges [the privately owned New Mexico Utilities Inc.] for sewer service by tens of thousands of dollars [in blatant violation of a 1973 contract]. The utility [which has provided services to area residents since the 1960's] sued.

The authority [created in 2003] has made no secret that it wants to condemn New Mexico Utilities and merge its operations with the city/county agency.

Think about that... a new governmental agency is formed in 2003, and one of their first orders of business is to try and seize a private company. A private company that has been operating a viable, growing and successful business for more than 40 years. This is wrong. Our elected officials need to be reminded that this is not the way that America works.

County Commissioners Outdo Pelosi and Kennedy

The Democrats that swept into Congress on Election Night have a 100 hour plan. Part of that plan is to get the minimum wage increased nationally to $7.25 an hour:

"This ought to be the first business of the United States Senate starting in January," said Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.) at a rally on Capitol Hill. "Anyone that works 40 hours a week, 52 weeks of the year, in the richest country in the world should not live in poverty."

In the House, soon-to-be Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) has said the Democrats will move to increase the minimum wage within the first 100 hours of the new session.

That's right the uber-liberal team of Ted Kennedy and Nancy Pelosi believe one of the first orders of business should be this minimum wage increase, and the amount they are proposing is $7.25. Yet last night, the Bernalillo County Commission - minus the two Republicans Commissioners - approved a $7.50 minimum wage hike (subscription):

Bernalillo County is moving into rare company.

County commissioners on Tuesday approved plans to boost the local minimum wage to $7.50 an hour by 2009.

The bill makes Bernalillo County the first county in New Mexico to have a wage law and one of the few counties in the country to have one, several local officials said.

It matches an ordinance already adopted in Albuquerque.

What, they couldn't wait a hundred hours?